The majority of teams came from single organisations. But a lateral approach paid off for others.

Peninsula Health - slogan: 'doing it differently' - was a team made up of managers from different bodies across the West Country, sponsored by a pharmaceutical company.

The only team to turn up with its own in-trays, mission statement and 'a whole car-load of flip charts', Peninsula didn't let the fact that its members had never worked together before stop it scooping the award for teamwork.

Rayna McDonald Birch of Plymouth Community Services trust brought the former management trainees together, while independent consultant Rae Wallin was hired to act as the team's observer.

Richard Bowen of Plymouth PCG, told HSJ that the work creating a 'virtual organisation' had given Peninsula Health a head start.

'A lot of the talk today has been about getting involved with other organisations. We had done that before we started.'

Liz Bates was one of five PCG chief executives who came together under the auspices of St Helens and Knowsley HA.

'For me the day just showed how much can be achieved when the will is there,' she said, hours before discovering her team was part of the winning cluster.

South Downs Health, a winner, was made up of South Downs Health trust, East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA, Brighton Health Care trust, Brighton and Hove PCG and Brighton and Hove social services.